Adjustable anchor for packers



Dec. 19, 1944.

C.H. BARNES ADJUSTABLE ANCHOR FOR PACKERS Filed Feb. 25, 1941 INVENTOR 'maiiflflne/ m 1 1a! BY 3 ATT RNEY 1 fill/g Patented Dec. 19, 1944 ADJUSTABLE ANCHOR FOR PACKERS Charles H. Barnes, Glendale, Calif., assignor to Lane-Wells Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application February 25, 1941, Serial No. 380,474

12 Claims. (c1. 16610) My invention relates to adjustable anchors for packers, and among the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide an adjustable anchor which is particularly designed for use in conjunction with a formation packer, whereby a formation packer may be set accurately with respect to the bottom of the oil well,.that is, the packer may be set and unset, raised and lowered, until it is positioned at the most advantageous point in the well;

Second, to provide an adjustable anchor for packers which may be readily and quickly locked or unlocked repeatedly by manipulation of the tubing string;

Third, to provide an adjustable anchor for a tubing string B. The packer should of course be capable, after once being set, of being released, moved'to another position and reset without removal from a well. Typical formation packers which are suitable for use with the adjustable anchor herein described are shown in the following patents: 1,925,015, issuedAugust 25, 1933, and 2,- 033,564, issued March 10, 1936. The lower or' outer telescoping tube l is provided at its lower end with a foot piece 3 which may be provided with bit-like fins so that when the tube is resting on the bottom of the well bore, as shown in Figure packers which, although readily adjustable, may

be relied upon to hold the packer in any adjusted position permanently, or until it is desired to remove the packer;

Fourth, to provide an adjustable anchor of this type which is particularly advantageous when it is desired to isolate an oil-producing zone and an adjacent gas-producing zone by a packer, and the exact interface between the two zones is not known accurately; and

Fifth, to provide and adjustable anchor for packers which has an infinite number of adjustable positions, as distinguished from afew predetermined points of adjustment.

" With the above and other objects in view, as may appear hereinafter, reference is directed to the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure 1 is an elevational view of my adjustable anchor shown in a well in conjunction with a Figure 1, the parts of the anchor being shown in their set or locked positions;

Figure 3 and 4 are transverse sectional views thereof through 33 and 4-4, respectively, of

fied form of my adjustable anchor; and

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view thereof through !1 of Figure 6.

With reference particularly to Figures 1 through 5, my adjustable anchor comprisesa pair of telescoping anchor tubes I and 2, the inner or upper tube 2 of which is connected at its upper end to a packer A which, in turn, is connected to l, the foot piece tends to prevent rotation of the outer telescoping tube. In addition, the outer tube I may be provided with one or more centering cages 4 having bow springs adapted to bear against the walls of the well bore.

The upper end of the outer tube l is screwthreaded to a slip housing 5 which extends around the inner tube 2 and is provided with a tapered or conical seat 6. Segmental slips Tare adapted to fit between the conical seat 5 and the inner telescoping tube 2. The inner faces of the slips 1 are provided with wicker teeth 8 adapted to engage the inner tube. The slips are so positioned that they tend to grip the inner tube and prevent telescoping movement thereof.

Below the slips 1 the slip housing 5 receives a spring 9 which bears against the slips 1 through "a ring. In in a manner tending to free the ,slips ber 2 may be moved downwardly within the outer packer; 35 tube I.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary, longi- The upper end of the slip, housing 5 is contudinal sectional view thereof through 2-2 of nected by screw-threads to cam sleeve ll, the

The cam lugs and cam edges are helical so that if the slips 7 are turned with respect to the cam sleeve they are forced downwardly against the spring 9' or permitted to move upwardly under urge of the spring, depending on the direction of rotation.

Journaled within the cam sleeve M is a clutch sleeve 14 which is enlarged at its upper end and is provided therein with wedge slots l5 which receive rollers 16. The rollers are engageable with the inner telescoping tu-be 2 in such a manner that when the tube 2 is rotated in one direction the clutch sleeve l4 turns therewith, but

.when the tube is rotated in the opposite direction the clutch sleeve is free therefrom. The clutch sleeve I4 is provided with several tongues 11 which extend downwardly within the cam sleeve l l and project between the several slips 1.

A collar I8 is screw-threaded to the upper end of the cam sleeve to retain the clutch sleeve in position. In order to permit suspension of the outer telescoping tube from the inner telescoping tube, the inner tube is provided at its lower end with a collar l9 adapted to slide within the outer tube but too large to pass through the bore in the slip housing 5, as indicated in Figure 2.

My adjustable anchor, as shown in Figures 1 through 5, is operated as follows: A conventional packer is connected to a tubing string C and the inner telescoping tube 2 is joined to the packer with the outer telescoping tube hanging therefrom. The assembly is then lowered into the well until the foot piece 3 engages the bottom of the well bore. Continued movement of the tubing string urges the inner telescoping tube into the outer tube. If a slight torque is maintained on the tubing string in a direction tending to prevent operation of the one-way clutch formed by the clutch sleeve, rollers and inner telescoping tube, the spring 9 maintains the slips I in an upper or released position, as shown in Figure 5. When the packer has been lowered to the location in the well bore at which a packoif or seal is desired, the tubing string and inner tube are rotated in a. direction to operate the oneway clutch. In doing so the clutch tongues I! turn the slips '1 relative to the cam lugs 12 in such a manner as to urge the slips downwardly against the spring 9 at the same time the inner telescoping tube is moved downwardly. Once the slips engage the inner tube the downward weight thereof tightly wedges the slips and prevents their upward movement under urge of the spring.

When the inner telescoping tube has locked relative to the, outer tube further application of weight of the tubing string causes the packer A to expand against the formation in a conventional manner. If it is found that the packer has been set in the wrong place and it is desired to raise or lower it, it is merely necessary to raise the tubing string, which first unseats the packer, Continued movement then raises the inner telescopingtube to permit release of the slips. At the same time the tubing is rotated in a direction to free the clutch so that the slips may readily' turn and slide upwardly along the cam lugs l2. The inner tube is then raised or lowered to the new position and again turned to force the slips downwardly into operating position.

Reference is now directed to Figures 6 and 7: The structure here shown is in most respects similar to the previously described structure, with the exception that longitudinal keys are provided on the inner telescoping tube in place of the clutch mechanism. More specifically, a slip housing 2|, similar to the slip housing 5, is secured to the upper end of the outer telescoping tube l. The slip housing is provided with a conical seat 22 therein which coacts with several segmental slips 23. Each slip is provided in its upper end portion with a cam slot 24, defining a helical path. Cam pins 25 extend into the slot and are secured in the walls of the slip housing 2!. The upper endof the slip housing is closed by a collar 26. The inner telescoping tube 2 is provided with longitudinally extending key ribs- 21 which extend through the collar 26 and slip housing and pass between the slips 23.

When the inner tube is rotated in one direction the key ribs engage the slips to turn them and cause them to move upwardly by reason of the cam slots and pins, or if the inner tube is rotated in the other direction the slips are permitted to move downwardly. Thus, the slips may be locked or unlocked by the rotation of the inner tube so that the telescopic adjustment may be readily made.

Various changes and alternate arrangements maybe made within the scope of the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in the invention as broadly as the prior art permits.

I claim:

1. The combination with a tubing string and packer of: a pair of telescoping tubes adapted to extend between said packer and the bottom of a well bore, one of said tubes being suspended from said packer, the other adapted to bear against the bottom of the Well bore and tending to resist rotation; and securing means between said tubes responsiveto manipulation of said tubing string for securing said tubes against relative inward telescopin movement.

2. The combination with a tubing string and packer, of: a pair of telescoping tubes adapted to extend between said packer and the bottom of a well bore, one of said tubes being suspended from said packer, the other adapted to bearv against the bottom of the Well bore and tending to resist rotation; means interposed between said tubes to secure said tubes against inward telescoping movement when applying thereto compressive loads in the course of setting said Packer; and means responsive to relative rotation of said tubes to release said securing means.

3. The combination with a tubing string and packer, of: a pair of telescoping tubes adapted to extend between said packer and the bottom of a. well bore; one of said tubes being suspended from said packer, the other adapted to bear against the bottom of the well bore and tending to resist rotation; wedge means interposed between said tubes and operable to secure the tubes against inward telescoping movement; and means responsive to relative rotation of said tubes to release said wedge means and permit said inward telescoping movement.

4. The combination with a rotatable tubing string and packer carried thereby, of: a pair of elongated telescoping tubes, one of said tubes depending from said packer and rotatable therewith, the other of said tubes extending beyond the one tube; means tending to restrain the other tube against movement; means interposed between said tubes to secure said tubes against inward telescoping movement; and means responsive to relative rotation of said tubes to release saidsecuring means.

5. The combination with a rotatable tubing string and packer-carried thereby, of: a pair of elongated telescoping tubes, one of said tubes depending from said packer and rotatable therewith, the other of said tubes extending beyond the one tube; means engageable with the formation to restrain the other tube against movement; wedge means interposed-between said tubes and operable to secure the tubes against inward telescoping movement; and coacting means operatively connecting the tubes and operably responsive to alternate relative rotation of said tubes pered bore; Wedge slips adapted to fit said bore and grip the inner tube to restrain said inner tube against inward telescoping movement; and means for moving said slips between an inoperative and an operative position.

7. The combination with a rotatable tubin string and packer carried thereby, of: a pair of elongated telescoping tubes, one of said tubes depending from said packer and rotatable therewith, the other of said tubes extending beyond the one tube; means engageable with the formation to restrain the other tube against movement; a housin on the outer tube and having a tapered bore; wedge slips adapted to fit said bore and movable to grip and restrain said innertube against inward telescoping movement; and coacting means operably connected with the tubes and operably responsive to rotation of said inner tube in diiferent directionsin said outer tube for moving said slips alternately between an operative and an inoperative position.

8. The combination with a rotatablysupported tubing string and a packer carried thereby, of: a pair of telescoping tubes, the outer tube adapted to rest on a well bottom and thereby resist rotation, and the inner tube depending from said packer and rotatable with said packerand tubing string; a housing on said outer tube and having a tapered bore; wedge slips adapted to fit said bore and movable to grip and to restrain said inner tube against inward telescoping move- I ment; and cam means interposed between said tubes and operatively associated with said slips and tubes for controlling movement of said slips between inoperative and operative positions, upon alternate relative rotation between said tubes in different directions.

9. The combination with a rotatably supported tubing string and packer carried thereby, of: a pair of telescoping tubes adapted to extend between said packer and the bottom of a well bore, one of said tubes depending from the packer and rotatable with the tubing string, the other of said tubes engaging the bottom of the well bore and. thereby tending to resist rotation; wedge means interposed between saidtubes and operable to secure the tubes against relative inward telescoping movement; yieldable means tending to'hold said wedge means in an inoperative po- 3 siti on; and drive means interposed between said tubes and operatively connected to one of said tubes for urging said wedge means into operative relation upon relative rotation between said tubes.

10. The combination with a rotatably supported tubing string and a packer carried thereby, of: a pair of telescoping tubes, the outer tube adapted to rest on a well bottom and thereby resist rotation, and the inner tube depending from said packer and rotatable with said packer and tubing string; a housing on saidouter tube and having a, tapered bore; wedge slips adapted to fit said bore and grip the inner tube to restrain said inner tube against inward telescoping movement;

yieldable means tending to hold said wedge slips in an inoperative position; and a clutch operatively connected to and operable by rotation of said inner tube relative to the outer tube to urge said slips into an operative position. i

11. The combination with a rotatable tubing string and packer carried thereby, of: a pair of telescoping tubes, the outer tube adapted to rest on a well bottom and thereby resist rotation and the inner tube depending from said packer and rotatable with said packer and tubing string; a housing on said outer tube and having a tapered bore; wedge slips adapted to fit said bore and movable to grip and restrain said, inner tube against inward telescoping movement; ribs extending longitudinally on said inner tube and passing between said slips; and means secured to said housing and coacting with said slips and said ribs to move said slips to and from anopof saidinner and outer tubes in opposite directions.

12. In an anchor for adjustably positioning a packer with respect to the bottom of a well bore, the combination with a rotatabletubing string and packer adapted to be expanded against the side walls of the well bore by axial compression, of: a first tube connected to said packer and extending part way to the bottom of the well bore; a second tube telescopically connected with the first tube and continuing therefrom to the bottom of the well; means on the second tube eng'ageable with the formation to restrain the second tube against rotation; a releasable securing means interposed between the telescoping portions of said tubes to secure said tubes against inward telescoping movement and thereby permit axial compression of said packer when said second tube bears against the bottom of the well and the weight of said tubing string is ap 

